Wmgf Applauds Good Deeds, Good Folks

RADIO - Radio waves

Just when you think the moral fabric of society is unraveling, along comes Orlando's 107.7 FM (WMGF) with a regular reminder about good things and good people.

The latest positive message from Magic 107.7, the family oriented adult contemporary music station, comes with the morning team's weekly salute to police officers.

In the 2-month-old feature, Shawn and Tracey pick a ''Police Officer of the Week'' from nominations submitted by listeners. The good deeds done by these folks won't make the nightly TV news or newspaper headlines, but Magic is uncovering the humanity beneath the crime beat.

The radio feature airs at 7:40 a.m. each Friday. The weekly winners will be feted at a station banquet in January.

''We're just trying to highlight an important part of our community,'' said Laura Dane, program director.

Here is a sampling of the honorees:

Sgt. Ed Boyens of the Orlando Police Department was selected for the extra time he spent with the children in his daughter's preschool, giving ''horsey'' rides and hugs.

Officer Tony Uzzi of the Altamonte Springs Police Department helped a disabled woman home with her groceries in the rain when her battery-powered wheelchair gave out.

Cynthia Salisbury, an officer of four years in the Lady Lake Police Department and the single mother of five, was chosen last week for her professionalism and personal perseverance.

The feature has been well-re-

ceived, especially among the law-enforcement ranks. ''There is so much negative on the radio,'' said Orange County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Solomons. ''It's nice to see someone who's doing something nice in the community get some kudos.''

In the same mail survey conducted by WLOQ's Pure Music magazine, listeners also said that if they heard one more song by Kenny G, they might go berserk.

Suffice it to say, WLOQ listeners, at least the more than 1,100 who voted in the station's 1996 Readers Choice Awards, have a love/hate relationship with the artist.

The survey also revealed some other unifying characteristics of WLOQ fans. For example: Their favorite fast food is from Wendy's; their favorite contemporary author is John Grisham; the best film comedy they saw this year was Birdcage; Pulp Fiction was the movie they said they wanted their money back on; Roseanne, most of them say, is TV's most annoying character; and finally, the best car they ever owned was a Volvo.

These choices just might be tantalizing to advertisers because WLOQ has a 14.3 percent share of 25- to 54-year-olds with household incomes of more than $50,000 - more than any other station in the market, according to WLOQ.

WTLN's 'CrossTalk' a forum for issues

Christian station 95.3 FM (WTLN) introduces CrossTalk Monday, a new local talk show with a host whose goal is to create a program no one wants to miss.

John Adams, a 25-year broadcasting veteran and recent fill-in host for WTLN, said Cross- Talk will cover a potpourri of spiritual, social and political subjects.

The one-hour show will air at 4 p.m. weekdays, replacing music on the FM dial but also Central Florida Forum on 1520 AM (WTLN). The decade-old Central Florida Forum, which former host George Crossley left in June and has had no permanent host since, will have its last airing today from 4 to 6 p.m and will be replaced by gospel music. The show had moved from the FM to the AM station in May 1995.

''I think they had a lot of (FM) listeners who wanted to hear a talk show again,'' Adams said.

Adams, a native of Kansas City, Mo., came to Central Florida in 1988 as news director of Orlando-based Florida's Radio Network and later became general manager. He left the network in 1990 and formed his own television and radio production company to do free-lance news coverage for national networks that include the Dallas-based USA Radio Network. Adams, 46, helped launch USA in 1985 for the network's owner, Christian talk show host Marlin Maddoux.

Adams' guest Monday will be Steve Brown, president of Key Life Network, an Orlando radio and audiotape ministry. He also expects to have political candidates and elected officials on his show.

''There are a lot of gray issues in scripture where Christians can honestly disagree,'' Adams said. ''I'd like to make this a forum where you can learn more about what the other person has to say.''